Popovich acts like a spy with tight-lipped answer to ABC’s Burke

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s early career at the Air Force Academy is one of the more interesting ones among any NBA coach.

Popovich graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Soviet Studies, and he underwent Air Force intelligence gathering and processing training. At one point, the Spurs coach gave careful consideration to a career with the Central Intelligence Agency.

Instead, he opted for a coaching career and four NBA titles attest to his Hall of Fame abilities.

But he still sometimes lapses into the thinking patters of an Academy man, like Tuesday night during his Game 3 interview before the start of the third quarter with ABC-TV sideline reporter Doris Burke.

When asked about his team’s defensive success against Miami forward LeBron James, Popovich sounded like an inscrutable protector of our nation’s secrets.

Or a spy.

His answer of “I can’t tell you that,” along with his facial reaction, provided another of Popovich’s sideline gems.